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Thirteen auto service technicians departed the island on Saturday (Jan. 16) to take up training and job opportunities in Canada. The group represents the first set of skilled workers to benefit under an eight-month work-study programme, which is being facilitated by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. Another group of 14 heavy duty mechanics are scheduled to depart on...

President of the Jamaica Employers' Federation (JEF), Wayne Chen, has emphasised that teamwork must be maintained at the workplaces to ensure productivity. "The JEA is about making the employer/employee relationship as smooth as possible, because at the end of the day, all of our enterprises depend on efficient employees," he told the monthly meeting of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce,...

The Jamaican Association on Mental Retardation is re-branding itself as the Jamaican Association on Intellectual Disability (JAID), to create greater awareness and appreciation for persons with intellectual challenges in the society. According to JAID Executive Director, Grace Duncan, "We are hoping to reduce prejudice and discrimination towards persons with disabilities, and affirm their right to participate fully in society." She...

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles, has stressed the need for a working environment that protects the rights of workers regardless of their HIV status. "Several workers have lost their jobs because they have been affected by HIV and several workers have moved from the workplace because other workers are said to be affected by HIV and...

A total of 5,000 beneficiaries under the Programme for Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) will benefit from a $1 million donation from chicken producers Caribbean Broilers (CB) Limited. Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles, accepted the cheque this morning (December 16) from Managing Director of CB, Mr. Dave Lyn, at a press briefing held at the...

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) have entered into an agreement to share databases, which will allow for more efficient processing of work permits. Labour Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles; Permanent Secretary, Alvin McIntosh; and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PICA, Jennifer McDonald, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the agency...

Managers of public sector agencies and departments confirmed support for the Government's workplace policy for HIV/AIDS, by signing a Leadership Advocacy Commitment document at Jamaica House in Kingston to mark World AIDS Day on Tuesday (December 1). The event, held under the theme: "Yes I Can Support a PLWHIV (Person Living with HIV/AIDS)", was organised by the Office of the...

Government is expected to pay out over $430 million to members of the Nurses' Association of Jamaica (NAJ), in additional salaries and allowances, based on an agreement signed at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS) Tuesday (December 1). The new agreement will cover the two-year period, April, 2008 to March, 2010, and became necessary because the NAJ, which...

Senior citizens who are having difficulties taking care of themselves are being urged to sign up with the Programme for Advancement through Health and Education (PATH), so that assistance can be provided. The call was made by Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles, at the National Council for Senior Citizens (NCSC) Conference on aging, held today (November...

State Minister for Labour and Social Security, Hon. Andrew Gallimore, says that the just-released Productivity Summary Report 1972-2007 is a call for Jamaican workers to begin maximizing their time on the job. He noted that although the report shows productivity levels continuously declining over the 35-year period, "the contents of this document in no way shape or form predict what...

The 9th biennial scientific conference of the Association of Caribbean Occupational Therapist (ACOT) was officially opened today (Nov. 5) at the Hilton Kingston hotel. The three-day conference is being held under the theme: 'It all comes together here: Caribbean occupational therapists striving for excellence'. Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles, in his remarks, said that the Ministry...

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles, has said that the industrial relations climate must be one that fosters co-operation between workers and managers for the country's development. "We must look at industrial relations with a new vision of partnership and co-operation," he said, noting that the "lock out of workers by management, and workers walking of the...